The Land where I belong
by ThurinRanger
Summary: As some of our favorite characters suddenly appear in a Lord of the Rings obsessed girl's life, she must find a way to transport them back to Middle-earth, before it's too late. Takes place during the end of the War of the Ring. Contains minor violence, injuries, and Fangirls. I do not own any of Tolkien's characters of stories. This story is for entertainment purposes only.


It was somewhere around 6:00am. I lay in my bed, debating with myself whether or not to wake up.

It was the christmas break of my third year of college here, in New Jersey. Usually on a cold, snowy day like this I would be driving over to my parent's house. Except they were away for a month in Idaho, on a ranch visiting those horrible cousins of mine, then, they would go up to Alaska to spend their anniversary together in their favorite winter resort.

Next, I would have called my older brother and sister. They were twins, and always doing something fun with each other, if I asked I could usually tag along.

But they were on some mission trip, somewhere near the equator.

So, I lay in the small bed of my apartment. I didn't really have anything I _had_ to do today. But, somehow, I highly doubted maidens of Gondor slept in, I also highly doubted Riders of the Rohirrim slept in. So, I regretfully rolled out of bed.

My apartment consisted of: Two closets, one uncomfortable couch, a bookshelf, a bed, a kitchenette, a coffee table, and a bathroom. One closet was for towels, extra quilts, and my small valuables-box. The other contained two trunks. One full of weapons, and the other full of regular, every-day clothes. Hanging above these were all of my middle-earth inspired garments, from Rivendell Pajamas, to Gondorian Chain-mail. My bookshelf contained all the usual books, but was dominated by Tolkien's works, as well as all of the Peter Jackson films and soundtracks. I had The Hobbit fan art on the walls, and The Fellowship action figures on the coffee table. I had my favorite Lord of the Rings inspired jewelry by my bed, and a **_'Speak, Friend, And Enter'_** decal on my door. I was obsessed with, obviously, The Lord of the Rings.

I yawned, then shivered. Winter had come colder than expected, earlier than expected, and, alas and alack the heating was no good in this misleadingly affordable apartment. The room felt like a refrigerator and it was snowing hard outside.

I slipped on a lavender pair of slippers, and a thick matching robe. Now that I wouldn't freeze, I could finally begin my day. I stuck the Two Towers soundtrack in the battered old CD player sitting forlornly in a corner, and lounged on the couch feeling generally sorry for myself.

My few, not really legitimate friends were all doing other things, too busy for a phone-call or a text.

I had always longed for Middle-earth. I would rather be killing Orcs than sit through French class. I had tried my whole life to bring myself closer to that world. At age thirteen, I had started fencing, archery, Sindarin, and Numenorien.

A few years ago I had also started rock climbing and had attempted to teach myself Karate. Not to mention a few words of Quenyen, and Dwarvish. I felt like I could safely call myself a committed fan.

After listening to all my favorite tracks, I popped in the Return of the king soundtrack, turned it up high so I could hear it in the bathroom, and started to shower.

Sadly, I had only been able to shower for three minutes, and was just about to put in hair conditioner, when I heard a tremendous crash coming from my living room area. _Burglars!, _was my first thought as I turned off the water, dried up in a hurry, leapt into my robe and slippers, and rushed onto the scene. But there was no burglar.

A sight greeted my eye's that I never forgot. A young man had just recovered himself from the ground, and was rubbing his injured rump while spluttering un-repeatable words in Sindarin. The handsomely long blond hair was unmistakable.

I quenched an excited squeal of delight. Legolas noticed me for the first time. A mortified look replaced the injured one immediately.

"My lady, please excuse this intrusion." He apologized in Common-speech. "You are Legolas?" I replied in Sindarin, hardly able to contain myself. Legolas looked surprised. "Please forgive my un-princely use of language as well my lady. I knew not your ability to speak my language. Yes, I am Legolas. What is your name?" His face reddened as he attempted to regain his composure. I thought for a moment, then used the Elvish name I had thought of for myself after learning Sindarin. "Cellin, though I am no elf." "I can see that." Legolas replied.

I turned my head sharply, but no he wore not a smirk, but a calm, cool expression. I hurriedly turned off the music, and invited my unexpected guest to sit down.

"How did you get here?" I asked, still trying to get over the fact that I was actually talking to Legolas.

"I was heading, with Aragorn and Gimli, for the paths of the dead when suddenly, the ground gave way and I landed here." It was very strange.

I noticed Legolas looked like he was hungry. His hair was slightly tangled and his clothes dirty and worn. "I'll put on some water, for breakfast." I said as I left Legolas as he admireed a particularly stunning action figure of himself, riding a horse with Gimli.

"Now," I said as I returned, "I might have something you could wear, instead of that." I gestured to his muddy garments. Legolas was only too glad as I lent him a Prince of Mirkwood gown I had made, after the fashion of Thranduil's. As he was changing in the bathroom, I looked for something a little more suitable for myself. I had a hard time of it though, for constantly echoing through my mind were thoughts of this sort: _"Legolas is in my bathroom. Legolas is in my apartment. Omw, I think I'm still asleep."_

Finally, pushing these thoughts out of the way I grabbed a lady of Ithilien gown I had recently finished.

Legolas emerged looking very princely and said he'd wait on the couch for me while I changed.

A few minutes later, as I exited the bathroom, I found him, gazing, in awe at my open email inbox. He had found the laptop, oh dear.

I snatched it away, slammed it shut, and slid it quickly under the couch.

"What. Was. That." Legolas sounded like he was in a daze. I didn't know how to explain. "It's sorta like bunch of letters, it's a way of sending messages to people."

Legolas looked skeptical. "Well, I wouldn't be corresponding with people by the names of: 'percabeth4ever, and marymaryquitecontrary234', they sound like suspicious servants of the enemy to me." He said, looking distrustfully at the spot on the coffee table where the laptop had previously been.

"Don't worry about it." I said from the kitchenette as I poured oats into the water to cook.

Legolas looked at me in a weird, eyebrows-raised way as I wrapped myself in several quilts.

"Why are you doing that?"

"It's cold as ice in here."

"But it was horribly hot before I came here."

"It's still snowing outside though."

"I don't believe it." Legolas murmured as he went to the window and drew the curtain. I followed him. As I had indicated, it was still snowing unrelentingly.

"Hey!" Legolas exclaimed so suddenly that I jumped.

"What?" He pointed to a figure, struggling through the drifts, trying not to get hit as he crossed the busy street. He was tall, with long hair blowing to and fro, and was wearing garments that would have done better in summer.

He had both his shirt, and pants rolled up as high as they could go, a sword hanging from his belt, and a cloak rolled up in a bundle under his arm.

"Aragorn!" Legolas cried as he rushed to the door to help his friend.

"Stop!" I blocked the door. "You can't leave here dressed like that! There is an, um, an enemy you've never even heard of that seeks you, and will do anything to catch you!" Legolas didn't look frightened. "What is this creature called?"

"The fangirl." I replied as I pulled on a thick Fellowship cloak and hurried down the hallway toward the elevator. It was Aragorn out there, and he was having a bad time of it.

"Aragorn!" I called through the wind as I waved my arms at him.

"Over here!" He made for me, and I ushered him under the awning.

"Who are you? What is this place? How did I get here?" He choked out between mouthfuls of the snow he had been buried in.

"Come inside." Though he was incredibly cold, Aragorn still managed to be suspicious, resulting in the fact that I had to push the reluctant ranger into the lobby and the the hall. "Don't talk to anyone, and keep your head down." I whispered as I pushed the buttons on the elevator, one hand clenching his arm in case he tried to break away. Luckily, only a few people saw us, they were all already familiar with my costume oddities, and Aragorn was too covered in snow for anyone to notice he was a man with long hair in a fellowship cloak that looked suspiciously like Strider's. That would have brought the fangirls. I winced at the thought, as the elevator slowly climbed to the third floor.

Legolas had discovered and opened my soundtracks, and was turning the shiny CDs over in his hands, trying to figure out what they were used for. I hoped he hadn't scratched them.

"Aragorn!" He cried, as he whirled around to embrace his friend. Aragorn was too surprised to reply.

I had a lot harder time with him than with Legolas. Firstly, being the ranger he was, he wouldn't admit that he was cold. I actually could see him shivering, but he brushed me off. I had a Faramir costume that looked like his style, but he wouldn't put it on. "My clothes are fine, and that's too small." Well, he was right about the size, finally with Legolas' urging he changed, and found it, like he had said, far too small. Unlike Legolas' robes, it was made of an incredibly unforgiving fabric. Sadly, the only garment with a stretchy enough fabric to fit him, was a, *sigh*, Galadriel inspired gown. "Oh the humiliation!" He cried in despair as he gazed, horrified, at his reflection in the full length mirror the sniggering Legolas had directed him to. "I'd rather wear no clothes at all than wear this!"

"Better not..." I hurriedly sat him down on the couch before he could try it.

"Nobody can see you but us, it's not that bad, I'm wearing a gown, aren't I?" Aragorn sulked even more.

"But you're a _maiden, _that's what _maidens_ do." He harrumphed. I put another pot of water on the stove to boil.

But the worst for him was yet to come.

For, I could smell Aragorn. I could't tell if Legolas smelled, because Aragorn drowned him out.

I turned on the shower.

"Okay, Aragorn first, then Legolas." At their dismayed looks I added, "Oh come on, it won't be that bad."

"I will do it, only if Legolas goes first." Aragorn growled. Legolas sighed, I handed him a towel, and he made his way to his fate.

It had been an hour. I started to get worried.

"Aragorn, how about you go check on him, he should have been out a while ago." A few moments later, Aragorn returned.

"He says he _likes_ it, imagine that! He doesn't want to come out, and I'll be glad to leave him there, it looks as if I won't have to shower after all."

Aragorn may have been bigger than me, and more important than me, and I may have been his biggest fan, but I would not allow him to stay in my apartment if he smelled like he hadn't bathed in months.

He probably hadn't.

"Legolas!" I yelled through the bathroom door,

"Wrap yourself up in a towel, and come out here!" The water was reluctantly turned off, and a sopping, steaming elf wrapped in towels emerged to collect his robes.

Finally, Legolas persuaded Aragorn, who jumped in and out as fast as he could, as if he'd been stung by a bee.

"You still have soap in your hair!" Legolas smiled a smug smile as he led Aragorn back in.

Legolas and I sat, one on each end of the couch. He was examined some fan art on the wall, and was particularly interested in the one of his Ada on the moose. Every time he looked at that one I could see him trying not to smile.

Meanwhile, I was busy contemplating what had just happened: I had read books, books I had thought entirely fictional, about people being sucked into stories and whatnot.

I had never thought that kind of thing could really happen, but Aragorn was in my shower and Legolas was one my couch.

Suddenly, my thoughts were most rudely interrupted by a shriek from the bathroom.

I jumped up. That wasn't an Aragorn shriek, but who else could it be?

I yanked open the door with Legolas right behind me. Aragorn was in my shower, and Eowyn was in my sink.

"Legolas! Is that you? Don't scare me like that! I nearly jumped out of my skin!" Aragorn called, still recovering from his fright, with the shower curtain wrapped around him.

Eowyn was frozen in a look of shock.

I would have been to.

Her hair was askew from the fall, and her brown nightgown covered in plaster dust.

"Legolas, go add more water to the pot, Aragorn, stay in the shower until I've got Eowyn all fixed up."

I said disbelievingly as I helped Eowyn out of her predicament.

"Eowyn?" Aragorn said in a half frightened, half pleasantly surprised tone.

"Where am I?" Eowyn sounded dazed as she sat down on my couch. Legolas stared at her in interest.

"How did she get here? I thought she was back in Rohan?"

"I don't know...could you hand me that comb over there?" I responded as I handed it to Eowyn before I went to find her something cleaner and warmer.

She fit into a warm pair of Rivendell Pajamas I had made.

Then Aragorn emerged, gown flowing behind him.

Eowyn stared for a second before politely directing her gaze elsewhere from the mortified man.

It was a little weird having him wear that gown, but it was all I could do.

The oatmeal finally finished cooking, and we all sat around the coffee table to eat it.

"Do you have anything to drink? I am very thirsty." Eowyn sighed as she stared suspiciously at the new food.

"Would milk work?" I asked as I opened the fridge.

And then I noticed how little food I had. It would have been fine if it were only me, but now I had three others.

_Then _I got thinking.

_Where would they sleep? I had one bed, one couch..._

These thoughts troubled my mind as I lay the four mugs of milk on the coffee table.

"I'm going to get more food." I announced as we dug in hungrily at the delayed breakfast.

"Can we come?" Legolas asked hopefully.

"No, but I could take Eowyn."

"What! What's wrong with us?" Aragorn protested as I searched for modern-day clothes for me and my shopping partner.

"Men don't exactly style their hair like that anymore, plus, you guys would get suffocated by teenage girls. Here."

I said as I placed the Disney Frozen soundtrack in the CD player.

"You click this button to start it, and when it's done put in these." I instructed, handing a stack of Disney Princess soundtracks to Aragorn. That would fascinate the two enough to keep them from accidentally being discovered. While they listened to the tracks in shock, I got Eowyn in skinny jeans, and a furry jacket.

I Put her hair in pigtails, gave her some dark lipstick, and high-heeled pumps.

She looked the typical hot teenager.

No one would recognize her as Eowyn, Shield-maiden of Rohan. I dressed in similar wear, before preparing to leave.

"Don't talk to anyone, and don't look anyone straight in the eyes. You'll blow our cover." I instructed in the elevator.

We took a cab to the main supermarket, where everything was affordable, and there were enough odd figures I thought Eowyn and I would blend in.

I was right, until we got to the baked goods aisle. We were just there to grab some blueberry streusel muffins.

An innocent enough pursuit, but it was the beginning of the end. As I grabbed the packet, I heard a policeman shouting over the din of the store:

"Lost children! Come collect your lost child!"

Eowyn sharply grabbed my arm, and hurried over.

"He's mine! I'm his mother!" She called, her british accent contrasting to the other voices around us. What was she doing? People began to look over curiously at us as she hurried over to the policeman.

"Yours?"

He said skeptically, gazing at the hip teenager before him.

Why did I dress her up like that? It looked normal, but not for the mother of a ten year old child!

"Yes."

She said, and mouthed something to the little boy.

"Mum!"

He cried and leapt into her arms.

"Alright... I found that scamp of yours floundering the pound cake." The police man said, still dubiously, as we walked away.

But, we had made a commotion, and I saw a teenage girl following us with her eye, showing her interest.

"Come on, we need to check out." I said through gritted teeth as I hustled the two to the cash register.

The minute we were in the cab, I pulled the glass divider down so the driver couldn't hear us, and nearly exploded.

"Eowyn! What did you think you were doing!? You can't just pick up some kid?! What if it's real mom comes-"

I never got to finish my sentence. Eowyn just smiled knowingly, lifting up the boy so I could see him.

Drat her.

Meriadoc Brandybuck smiled sheepishly back at me.

"What? How did you know?"

"You were too busy looking at me and the policeman to notice. I mouthed that he call me 'mum', so I could get him. I suppose he was transported there, just like I was into your sink."

She smiled lovingly at Merry.

I scowled.

Merry smiled a poundcake-crumb covered smile back.

My scowl was instantly melted into a smile.

Four Lord of the rings characters in my apartment?

True, I couldn't do with any more, but still, it was hard not to be terribly excited at the thought.

When we got home, we were greeted by 'Beauty and the Beast' music, and two dazed men.

"I never knew people could sing like that..." Legolas said, wide-eyed as he opened the door for us. Aragorn was sitting with his head in his hands, moaning, "What is this world coming to?" type moanings.

I turned the CD player off, before informing them of our new find.

"How's the war going?" Aragorn asked Merry worriedly.

Merry frowned.

"Horribly. The company sent to the paths of the dead hasn't been heard from. We fear the worst." He sighed.

Suddenly it dawned on me.

Without Merry and Eowyn, the Witch-king wouldn't be killed.

Without Aragorn and Legolas, the undead army wouldn't come, the battle of the Pelennor fields wouldn't be won, and what would happen next I didn't like to think of.

I needed to get them back!

But how could I?

I didn't even know how they got here.

Since I had hustled home after the grocery store, I hadn't been able to secure cots.

So, Merry got my bed, Eowyn got the couch, and I laid spare quilts on the ground for the rest of us.

But, since, we were _lying _on quilts, there was only enough for each person to have one to sleep under. We had a very, very cold time of it.

Eowyn caught cold during the night, and had a fever by morning.

So, the next day wasn't the best I've ever had. If they weren't for the fact that I was spending it with some of my favorite characters from Middle-earth, I doubt I could have stood it.

Eowyn lay on the couch with quilts piled up on her all day, while Aragorn paced and searched his whole mind for a way to get back to save his lands.

Legolas had 'Let it go' stuck in his head, and try as he might, he could not stop humming or singing it.

Merry spent most of the day complaining of the cold, the 3 meal rule, and for the lack of Pippin, while I was trying to take care of Eowyn, shush Legolas, remind Aragorn that the gown was the only option, console Merry, and try to sort out my own mind.

"This exceedingly small house is closing in on me!"

Aragorn suddenly cried, flinging his hands, and the mug of coffee he was half-heartedly drinking, into air.

So, we spent the next fifteen minutes cleaning up his mess before I summoned them around the coffee table.

"Tell me all that happened when you were transported here, and we'll see if they have anything in common." I instructed, nodding to Legolas to go first.

"Well, I was just walking, and arguing with Gimli over something or other, when I fell through into your house."

Then Aragorn: "I was listening to them argue, I left at the same moment the Elf did, I think."

Then Eowyn: "I was asleep, dreaming of that Wizard, Gandalf, when I awoke with a start and fell into your sink."

Then Merry: "I was wondering about Pippin, if Gandalf was taking good care of him, you know?" He sighed forlornly, thinking of his friend.

"Oh, Gandalf! That's what Gimli and Legolas were squabbling over. Something about his new staff." Aragorn murmured to himself. Well, that sure didn't help much.

Suddenly, Eowyn's face lit up and she quickly rose from the couch into a sitting position. "We were all thinking of Gandalf! Gandalf can get us out of this!" She cried with delight. "He's probably somewhere, we just have to find him..." Aragorn started to pace again as he said this, his gown flowing behind him.

Merry found it incredibly hard to keep a straight face until Aragorn turned and glared darkly at him.

Unfortunately, I only had 21st century garments for females, and I had three men to dress up.

After much digging through my trunk, I found a pair of boyfriend jeans and a baggy, faded T-shirt for Aragorn.

Then I ran into a slight problem. I only had very female looking shoes.

So, the man clothes went off and the girl clothes went on. Aragorn was horrified.

"Am I never to escape?" He sighed as I presented the neon green leggings, long pink shirt, and silvery glittery Toms.

His hair went up in a ponytail, and extensive makeup barely covered his stubble.

A ruby heart necklace completed the picture.

"I'm not convinced." Eowyn said skeptically as Aragorn reluctantly demonstrated himself before them.

"It'll have to do, or else we'll never get on to Legolas." I decided, as I advised Aragorn to sit on the couch and not move.

Legolas got green short-shorts, fishnet leggings, and a brown cable-knit sweater.

It took a while for him to be able to walk convincingly in his red, spike high-heeled boots, and it took still longer before he let Eowyn undo his little braids, and give him a sweepingly fascinating hairstyle.

We were at a loss for Merry.

After much thought, I decided: "It's best to keep him here. He can take care of Eowyn, and keep out of trouble." So the three of us donned long, ridiculous winter-coats, and hurried off.

In the elevator, I tried to give the two frauds a short lesson in walking with a hip-swing. Legolas could barely manage with walking as it was, and Aragorn way overdid it.

"Your names," I whispered as we made our way down Tigretta street, "are Ellie, and Carolina."

Legolas wrinkled up his nose.

"How queer." He sighed, turning his new name over on his tongue.

We had quite a time.

Legolas was gazed at fondly by several boys who thought they laid eyes on a seriously hot girl,(he pretended not to notice), I embarrassingly mistook three different men for Gandalf, Aragorn walked by a perfume shop, was invited in by the salesperson, gruffly replied no, and was quickly ushered away from the surprised woman.

Not to mention Legolas nearly killed himself with his shoes.

At the end of the day, the three downhearted companions slumped forlornly on a worse-for-the-wear bench in front of a forgotten thrift shop.

In the dim light, I half-heartedly scanned the passing faces.

Aragorn sat sprawled on the bench, apparently, he had given up.

Legolas had finally been able to pull off his shoes, and was rubbing his feet and ankles grumpily.

A bell rang forlornly in the darkness. I glanced down the street and saw the source of the sound.

An old man, dressed in a Santa costume was ringing a bell and calling:

"Come to Santa, show him your lists!" Followed by the same message in different languages.

Suddenly Legolas jumped to his feet, winced, quickly sat back down, and cried:

"That last one was in Sindarin!"

As Santa repeated the feelingless call again, I heard the elvish as well.

Was this some gag for Tolkien geeks?

I doubted it.

Aragorn rushed towards the man, while I stayed, partly to let Legolas lean on me, partly in case it was another mistake which I wasn't ready to add to the list of old men I had mistaken that day.

Aragorn embraced him, and whispered something in his ear.

The old man hurried back to the stragglers.

There was no doubt about who he was.

We flagged down a cab, for Legolas was definitely not willing to limp all the way home in those shoes.

And now there were 6 people in a one person apartment.

I would say 5 and 1/2, but Merry ate enough for more than a whole.

And so we all sat around the coffee table, Eowyn reclining on half the couch, flushed, and no less grumpy than anyone else, muffled in blankets with a cup of tea,

Legolas on the other half, icing his Ace-bandaged ankles and cursing spike heels in Sindarin.

Gandalf was thinking of how to get us back to middle-earth, Aragorn was tucking in his food silently, while Merry was eating for at least five while exclaiming over the curry and rice.

They all did these things as I brought in dinner: the exclaimed over curry and rice, steak and bread, and corn pudding.

Try as he might, Gandalf couldn't think of what to do.

When the time for bed came, Aragorn chivalrously offered Eowyn his quilt, claiming cold didn't effect him, so that her fever wouldn't worsen.

Though, as we all lay down to sleep he looked so cold that I was able to convince him to share my quilt.

The clock struck 10:00pm.

Merry, Eowyn, and Aragorn were asleep.

Legolas appeared to be sleeping with his eye's open, Gandalf was too perplexed to fall asleep, and I was to excited.

I couldn't believe that I had Aragorn on one side, and Eowyn on the couch on the other. If I turned my head I could see Gandalf, thinking deeply, and laying behind him Legolas, who I tried not to look at 'cause his way of resting creeped me out too much.

If I stood up and walked a few steps I could see Merry, snuggled in my bed, snoring softly.

Suddenly there came a knock at the door.

At 10pm?

Weird.

I stood up, and opened the door a crack, sticking out my head.

A handful of teenage girls awaited me.

One of them opened their mouth to speak, but I slammed the door before she could.

A few minutes later there came the sound of snow, or pebbles maybe, being thrown at my window.

Since I was half-asleep, Legolas(always watchful)got there first.

He drew the curtains, took one glance, and leapt back.

"Cellin! Quick! Look outside!"

About twenty girls were there.

Some throwing things at the window, and some brandishing signs.

I began to read them:

**_'_****_Legsie, marry me!'_**

**_'_****_Leggy be my love!' _**

**_'_****_Aragorn, ditch Arwen, it's me you want!'_**

I stopped after the first three.

My worst nightmare.

My movement had woken Aragorn, who quickly assessed the situation.

Before I could stop him, he rushed for the elevator.

Oh no.

Suddenly, he appeared in the courtyard in front of the girls. Before he could warn them away they pounced on him.

Legolas rushed toward the stairwell, I followed him.

"Don't show yourself, you'll only make it worse!"

I stopped him at the double-doors before rushing out to my friend.

I grabbed the long sleeve of his gown and dragged him inside, though he wasn't completely safe until I detached a few desperate ones, still clinging.

When we got back up to the apartment we all realized it would no longer be safe to leave the building, not to mention Middle earth desperately needed its heroes, and fast. We had to get out of here.

Luckily, as in the case of the gate at the Mines of Moria, desperate situations helped Gandalf to think faster, for, by midnight he had an idea:

"I would think that since saying my name or thinking of me is what got you here, that is what would get you out, but that is not the case, for you all have uttered my name and nothing has happened.

Therefor, uttering someone else's name might get us out."

It was a good idea, but there was a piece missing: The name.

Meanwhile, the fangirls were getting on everybody's nerves.

Though Eowyn and Merry managed to sleep through the din, the rest of us couldn't.

Legolas glared at the girls through the rather translucent curtains. One of them saw him. "Marry me and take me back to Middle earth with you, Leggy!" She cried.

"Leggy" growled in anger,

"And how do you expect me to do that?"

He yelled back disdainfully.

"Marry me, and then do the opposite of whatever got you here of course!" She shouted, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Legolas turned away in disgust, but Gandalf had perked up his ears thoughtfully.

Most of the fangirls camped overnight.

It made Aragorn so, so, so mad.

The next morning all of us were sleepy, and grumpy.

We all sat around eating those blueberry muffins Eowyn and I had bought.

Gandalf was deep in thought as he slowly munched away.

Suddenly he jumped up with such surprising force that Merry choked on his mouthful. "I've got it! I simply utter each of _your_ names, and then we go back!

The trick in reverse!" He cried delighted.

It made perfect sense.

Legolas made some fangirl eternally happy that day, for he was so pleased with the idea of going back that he rushed to the door and opened it, crying: "Thank-"

One of those girls had camped right in front of the door.

He grabbed and bear-hugged the squealing creature, before slamming the door in her face and bouncing happily back.

Aragorn insisted he put on his own things, so I let him.

I had everyone dress in their own things as well, with their own weapons.

After I had them all taken care of, I put on a warrior of Gondor costume I had made, and, armed myself with bow, arrows, and sword.

Then Gandalf ecstatically began proclaiming our names and we disappeared one by one.

Then he said mine and I was falling.

Crash!

Into a tree.

It was rather painful, especially considering the fact that Merry landed on top of me a few seconds later.

We were balanced very precariously, and I felt our branch begin to break.

Luckily the others were waiting below, Aragorn caught me, and Eowyn and Legolas together caught Merry.

The Wizard had supervised.

Gandalf called, and within seconds Shadowfax was there.

Gandalf stuck Merry, Eowyn, and me all on behind him.

We barely fit on, and, as a result, almost lost Merry several times.

While Gandalf rode away with us, Aragorn and Legolas took off at record pace to reach the paths of the dead.

With Shadowfax's speed, we reached Theoden's company in time to drop off Eowyn and Merry before they reached the fields of Pelennor.

Then, as I clung to Gandalf's robes so I wouldn't to fall off, we made our way to Minas Tirith with all speed.

Minas Tirith is even bigger, and more crowded than The Films represent it.

But, when I was there I didn't really have anything to do. I didn't have a trade or position on the walls to fill, I didn't have a family to take care of.

So, I shadowed Pippin.

I peeped at Denethor as Pippin served him. Unable to draw myself away, I stared at the Steward.

He was a fascinatingly horrible man.

Then I met Beregond.

We became fast friends, I hoped I would see him again after this was all over.

I played with Bergil, who was quite a little scamp, and full of fun.

And then the hosts of Sauron came.

Of course, the minute Gandalf took his eye's off me I rushed to the wall and started shooting down Orcs with the men, but was soon dragged back and scolded.

I met and liked Faramir very much.

Seeing him in person made me feel even worse for his misfortunes.

He was very kind, and I was glad for Eowyn (If not a little jealous).

At first Gandalf was going to send me away with the women and children, but he thought better of it when he saw the determined look on my face.

"Now, Cellin, you are to stay with Pippin, protect him, help him.

Please you two, try to avoid the worst of it." Gandalf sighed one dark morning, as he rushed to the walls to asses the gathering forces.

"Pippin, you stay with Denethor." I instructed, as I seized my weapons.

"Gandalf will roast me if I let you go." Pippin cried dejectedly as I made my way down the streets.

"I'll see he doesn't!" I called back encouragingly as I rushed off to array myself among the archers on the walls.

For all my training I had never had to fight so hard in my life.

Arrows flying, fallen men covering the ground.

It was more intense than I had ever imagined.

But I held my own.

I shot down a good number of Orcs before engaging in hand-to-hand combat.

The Wargs were huge, the Orcs horrendous.

Finally, after fighting for many hours I took an arrow to the leg.

Garnan, a companion who I had been covering most of the fight helped me out of danger to be treated.

It wasn't a really bad wound, but it still hurt.

The healer who tended me was shocked at my gender.

"Did orcs attack you when you were fleeing the city, lady?"

"No. I went out and fought them. I killed lots of Wargs, Orcs, and even a Troll before I was wounded."

The healer looked like _he_ needed a bit of healing.

When he had regained his composure he bound it up, instructed me to rest, and when I recovered, flee the city.

Then, when he left me to tend to another wounded man I was discovered by Pippin, out looking for Merry.

"Cellin! I knew this would happen! Are you mortally wounded!?"

Pippin cried in dismay as he knelt down beside me.

"No, just an arrow in the leg. But I can't walk really well, could you go find someone to help me?" I answered, through gritted teeth.

It may not have been lethal, but it sure was painful.

"Alright." Pippin said as he hurried off.

I waited.

Pippin didn't return.

Of course, he had found Merry and was waiting for someone to find _him._

Suddenly I noticed a man, in a grey cloak heading determinedly in the direction of the Houses of Healing.

"Strider!"

I called, not using his real name for it appeared he didn't want to be recognized. He looked at me, surprised.

"Cellin?"

He hurried over and bent over me.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. I just need a little help."

He helped me up and supported me to the Houses of Healing.

He helped me to sit down in a chair, in the room where Merry lay.

"I need to go heal the others, watch over him."

He said as he made his way to Faramir's chamber.

I hadn't realized how tired I was until now.

I lay back in the chair and was half-asleep when Aragorn entered with the others to heal Merry.

I perked up and managed to stay awake long enough to watch the event, before falling asleep sitting up in that uncomfortable wooden chair.

When I awoke my leg pained me, but I was refreshed.

I recovered as fast as I possibly could, but still, when it came time for the battle at the Black Gate, Gandalf said I must stay in Minas Tirith.

My leg still hurt, but I slipped into the ranks anyway.

It was probably the grueling thing I've ever done.

I was fighting on foot, but the minute I saw a riderless horse I leapt onto it.

Then it got easier.

Soon I found myself swinging my sword blindly, trying to stay alive as the forces kept flowing in.

The minute I rid myself of one Orc, another took its place.

I was ready to drop when I heard the jubilant cry:

"The Eagles are coming! The Eagles are coming!"

I got out alive, with a wound on my shoulder and my leg a lot worse.

But the feeling I had when I saw the dark tower fall, the Nazgul diminish, the light leap across the land, made it all worth it.

I don't remember much of what happened after that.

The only way I got back to Minas Tirith was Beregond.

He was wounded as well, and we leaned on each other all the way back.

Gandalf forced me to fully recover before I could go out into the city and rejoice, but I didn't mind much.

I managed to push my way to a first class view at the Coronation.

I'll never forget the moment Aragorn was crowned king.

But then, inevitably, when everything had settled down Gandalf approached me.

"You are going to have to make a choice, Cellin."

I knew that. It had been weighing on my mind.

"You need to go home."

"But this is my home." I sighed.

"No, that ridiculously cold and small apartment is your home. For now."

He smiled.

"But I don't have any real friends there."

I sighed, my voice husky at the thought of leaving.

"I know, but you must return."

My heart felt like it was going to break.

"But," He added, with a twinkle in his eye, "that doesn't mean you can't ever come back."

I flew at him and hugged him harder than I thought I could hug anyone.

He handed me a necklace.

"Whenever you can spare a week or so, hold this in your hands, and wish with all your heart to be here."

It was of pure opal, with elvish writing to create the spell of time-travel.

"I will go, but I will miss all of you."

I cried as I hugged him again, taking one last look at Minas Tirith, before I would leave. "But,"

I hesitated, "before I go, why do think that portal opened up, why could we travel without this?"

He smiled.

"I don't think anyone will ever know the answer to that, but I do have a guess:

Perhaps, it was just meant to be.

We needed you, and you needed us. And, someday soon, you will be able to stay here." "True, I needed you, but you didn't need me, did you?"

Gandalf's warm smile broadened.

"One soldier can change the fate of her land and her people. In fact, I'm almost certain that man you were covering, Garnan, was it? He would have died if it weren't for your steady stream of arrows."

"You mean this _is_ my land? My people?"

Gandalf nodded.

"You were always really a woman of Gondor at heart."

I had missed Christmas, for I was at the Coronation and all.

I didn't really mind.

I always had those scars, for the rest of my life, and I was proud of them.

Whenever I had time to spare I spent it in where I felt was my real home.

I spent most of my time in Gondor, especially Ithilien, and once I graduated from College, Beregond proposed and I excepted, for his wife had died when Bergil was young, and I loved him more than I can say.

Then I lived in Middle earth nearly all the time, coming back(with my new family)occasionally for vacation, and to visit my old family.

Aragorn remained a life-long friend, and I had admittance to the palace whenever I wished.

He had finally gotten over the Galadriel gown, and could joke about it now with pleasure.

We were always spending time with Eowyn, Faramir and their brood, who had become incredibly close family friends.

Most nights we would sit around their hearth and tell stories.

Eowyn's favorite was the time she killed the Witch-king while suffering from a fever. Mine were those fateful few days I shared my small and freezing apartment with my Middle earth friends.

Beregond enjoyed telling about when I took him to The Apple Store in New Jersey

(it was embellished differently and energetically every time by Bergil).

Faramir always told about the time King Elessar was joking to me about Galadriel, and Faramir thought the king used to be dating her.

That miscommunication story was one of the funnier one's I'd ever heard.

My life was as I'd always hoped and dreamed it would be.

I lived in Middle earth, and I was a woman of Gondor.

I bore scars proving my loyal defense of the land I loved, and I was who I'd always hoped beyond hope I could be.

And it had all started with the "burglar", unrepeatable utterances in Sindarin, and a pack of Fangirls.

**_~Fin~_**


End file.
